Two Colour Schemes

I have a large part of my space marine army painted and I would like to change the colour scheme of my marines, however I don't want to paint over my already painted marines. So, I was wondering, for any reason could a space marine chapter have two colour schemes. I tried thinking of something but I'm stuck. Thanks for helping.

one chapter was severly beaten down until only a few remained. another chapter was called in as reinforcements. first chapter joined second chapter since they lost all of their equipment or something like that. they are constantly in battle, and never have time to repaint their gear

A particularly deviant chapter might have any number of reasons they have different schemes between units. For example, the Dark Angels have their Death Wing and Raven Wing. Mayhaps your Chapter has different companies each with different heraldry due to rivalries between the captains or something. The Chapter Master makes sure none get out of line but the competition is good so he keeps an eye on it.

Campaign Armor

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

I have a large part of my space marine army painted and I would like to change the colour scheme of my marines, however I don't want to paint over my already painted marines. So, I was wondering, for any reason could a space marine chapter have two colour schemes. I tried thinking of something but I'm stuck. Thanks for helping.

Back in the good old days of early 40K, marines would paint their armor differently for participation in different campaigns. If you look back at some old White Dwarf's you'll see it everywhere. My buddy still has an old Ultramarine Captain in green campaign armour leading his (mostly) blue force.

The simple explanaition is that part of your force was committed to stopping the rebellion on Tyranus iX, and haven't had time to send their armor back through the tech-paint booth since their return.

There are several chapter that use different paint schemes. Sometimes for camouflage reasons, sometimes because of different campaigns. As has been mentioned previously.

Originally Posted by Wulfbanes

@ Hovoc, marines never leave their chapter.

they do actually.

they can be called by Inquisitors or join the Deathwatch (and sometimes stay with them and do not go back to their old chapter).

Or they can be exiled (Bloodquest, Uriel Ventris)

And if a new chapter is founded, experienced marines from other chapters are used to get them started and train the recruits and fill the ranks of the officers/chaplains/librarians and so on. They never go back to their old chapter afterwards.

Some Chapters also get disbanded if they have too many losses and then they get assigned to other chapters or used to found a new chapter. (even though it only takes two zygotes and 50 years to get a chapter to full numbers).